One type of dot matrix SELF-SCAN display panel is described in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 29,858 dated Dec. 5, 1978, of Donald E. Miller, which is incorporated herein by reference. This panel includes rows and columns of cathode glow gas cells made up of strip-like, thick-film cathode electrodes screened on the panel base plate in operative relation with transverse anode electrodes formed on the face plate of the panel. Each cathode strip is divided into scan portions and display portions in operation.
Another type of dot matrix SELF-SCAN display panel is described in a copending application of Edgar L. Harvey entitled DISPLAY PANEL, Ser. No. 335,753, filed Dec. 30, 1981, which is incorporated herein by reference. This type of panel is similar to the panel described above except that the cathodes are metal strips, which are formed by a winding operation, and the anodes are wires seated in slots in the panel base plate. As in the Miller panel, the cathode surfaces are divided into scan and display areas in operation.
Both types of panels are desirable display devices; however, the second type of panel has some manufacturing advantages. However, because of the constraints imposed by the requirements of the scanning operation in these panels, a panel of the second type cannot be made as a direct replacement for a panel of the first type by known principles of construction and operation of SELF-SCAN panels.
For example, in one panel of the first type, the display cells have a center-to-center spacing of 0.1 inch. A panel of the second type having this spacing of the display cells cannot be made by known principles. The present invention solves this problem.
The principles of the operation of SELF-SCAN panels are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,981 of James A. Ogle and George E. Holz, dated Nov. 2, 1976, which is incorporated herein by reference.